The role of Risk Perception and Social isolation in predicting Covid-19 Anxiety mediated by Health Anxiety in students

Abstract

Background & aim: Covid-19 disease is the most important type of infectious diseases that is currently affecting the world. The aim of this study was to determine the role of risk perception and social isolation in predicting Covid-19 anxiety mediated by health anxiety in students. Methods: The present study was a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in the second semester of 2020 with participation of 240 students of Mohaghegh Ardabili University who were selected by convenience sampling. Data were collected online using risk perception of Ding et al, social isolation of Russell et al, Anxiety of Covid-19 Alipour et al and health anxiety of Salkowski et al questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation and path analysis) using SPSS-25 and Lisrel 8.8 software. Results: The results showed that Covid-19 anxiety was negatively related to risk perception and positively and significantly correlated with social isolation and health anxiety variables. Also, health anxiety had a negative relationship with risk perception and a positive relationship with social isolation (p<0.001). Indicators of model fit including risk perception path on Covid-19 anxiety (-0.20), risk perception on health anxiety (-0.23), social isolation on Covid-19 anxiety, (0.17), social isolation on health anxiety (0.31) and health anxiety confirmed Covid-19 anxiety (0.59). Conclusion: Based on our findings, health policy makers, including the Corona AntiCorruption Headquarters and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, can control how training programs are designed to improve the psychological well-being of people in the Corona. They can teach people how to control their perception of risk and reduce social isolation and health anxiety.